U.S. patent application number 09/864081 was filed with the patent office on 2002-01-10 for method and system for providing calling name identification requery.
This patent application is currently assigned to Ameritech Corporation. Invention is credited to Kovarik, Jim, Urban, Ron, Wojtczak, Bill.
Application Number | 20020003870 09/864081 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25049658 |
Filed Date | 2002-01-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020003870 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Urban, Ron ; et al. |
January 10, 2002 |
Method and system for providing calling name identification
requery
Abstract
A method for determining the name of a calling party where the
calling party's name and corresponding telephone number are found
in a remote database. The method first identifies whether the
calling party's telephone number is contained within the local
database. When it is determined that the telephone number is not
within the local database, the method attempts to locate the
telephone number in a remote database. A query is formed according
to a basic signal transmission protocol to ensure that a database
which receives the query will be able to respond to it. The query
requesting the name associated with the telephone number is sent
across a network. The method receives a response to the inquiry and
checks to ensure that a name was returned to the local database
before delivering the name to the called party.
Inventors: |
Urban, Ron; (Woodridge,
IL) ; Kovarik, Jim; (Batavia, IL) ; Wojtczak,
Bill; (Lockport, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE
P.O. BOX 10395
CHICAGO
IL
60610
US
|
Assignee: |
Ameritech Corporation
|
Family ID: |
25049658 |
Appl. No.: |
09/864081 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09864081 |
May 23, 2001 |
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09393763 |
Sep 10, 1999 |
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6275576 |
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09393763 |
Sep 10, 1999 |
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08757893 |
Nov 27, 1996 |
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5974128 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
379/207.02 ;
379/201.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 3/42068 20130101;
H04Q 3/0029 20130101; H04Q 2213/13091 20130101; H04M 3/42051
20130101; H04M 15/06 20130101; H04Q 2213/13345 20130101; H04M
2201/38 20130101; H04Q 3/74 20130101; H04Q 2213/13103 20130101;
H04Q 2213/13387 20130101; H04Q 2213/13176 20130101; H04Q 2213/13204
20130101; H04M 2207/12 20130101; H04M 3/42042 20130101; H04Q 3/72
20130101; Y10S 707/99933 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
379/207.02 ;
379/201.01 |
International
Class: |
H04M 003/42 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A method of identifying a name corresponding to calling party by
performing a database search comprising the steps of: determining
that the calling party's telephone number and corresponding name
are not contained within a local data base; identifying a remote
database in which the calling party's telephone number may be
found; formulating the query requesting the name associated with
the telephone number of the calling party; and transmitting the
query to the remote database.
2. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of
determining whether a SCP associated with the remote database is
able to process a query.
3. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of
receiving a response including the name of the calling party from
the remote database.
4. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of
determining whether the name was returned from the remote
database.
5. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of
determining whether the name is restricted.
6. The invention of claim 1 further comprising the step of
delivering the name to a network.
7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the query is formulated
according to TR188 signaling protocol.
Description
[0001] This invention relates generally to telephone services and
more specifically to enhanced caller identification services.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Local telephone service providers offer a variety of
optional services to their customers. The services can be broadly
categorized as originating services and terminating services.
Originating services are controlled by the originating or calling
party's central office when the calling party places a call. In
comparison, terminating services are controlled by the terminating
or called party's central office when an attempt to terminate a
call occurs.
[0003] One example of a terminating service is "caller
identification." Caller identification provides the called party
with the name and telephone number of the calling party. Caller
identification is typically provided to a subscriber by its local
central office. In particular, each central office ordinarily has
access to a local database containing telephone numbers and the
corresponding names of people within its local area. Prior to
terminating a call to the called party, the central office searches
its database for the telephone number of the calling party. If the
telephone number is found within the database, the name
corresponding to that number will be accessed and are delivered to
the called party by the central office.
[0004] If the telephone number and name are not within the
database, the service cannot provide a name to the called party.
When a service cannot identify a name corresponding to the number,
it typically delivers a message indicating that the calling party's
name is unavailable. Accordingly, a local database containing only
a small quantity of numbers and corresponding names will generate a
large number of "unavailable" messages.
[0005] An indication of unavailability provides the customer with
no information about who is calling or where the call originated
from. This is an undesirable result for a customer who is paying
for a service that is designed to provide them with information
about the person who is calling them.
[0006] The present embodiment of the invention addresses the
problem of providing no information regarding a calling party when
the called party's local database does not contain information
about the calling party. The present embodiment provides for access
to remote databases containing telephone numbers and corresponding
names which are not contained in a local database. This results in
a larger quantity of telephone numbers and corresponding names to
search in an attempt to identify a calling party. In turn, there
are fewer instances where the service is forced to provide a
customer with an "unavailable" caller name message.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telephone network system.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the method of the present
invention utilized in the telephone network of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a modern telephone network 10. Such a telephone
network may have network elements including signal switching points
(SSP) 28, 30, 48, 50, signal transfer points (STP) 24, 44, tandem
switches 26, 46 and service control points (SCP) 22, 42. These
elements typically transfer network signaling protocols 60 and
voice and data traffic 70 between one another.
[0010] For example, SSPs 28, 30, 48, 50 and tandem switches 26, 46
typically transfer voice and data traffic 70. SSPs 28, 30, 48, 50
also communicate with STPs 24, 44 to transfer network signaling
protocols 60, such as those defined by Signaling System 7, which is
well known in the art, to control the network switching of voice
and data traffic 70.
[0011] Preferably, subscribers 34, 54 gain access to the network
through the SSPs 28, 30, 48, 50. A SSP is similar to a local
telephone central office equipped with a voice switch such as an
AT&T #5 ESS or a Nortel DMS-100, well known to those skilled in
the art. Central offices equipped with software implementing
advanced intelligent network (AIN) features are designated as
SSPs.
[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the telephone network may be divided
into regions, such as region A and region B. Each region may
include several central offices or SSPs. For example, SSPs 28, 30
within region A send and receive network signaling protocols 60 to
and from STP 24 which services region A. SSPs 28, 30 within region
A send voice and data traffic 70 to and from tandem switch 26
located within region A, as well as other SSPs 44 in region A.
[0013] Tandem switches 26, 46, STPs 24, 44 and SCPs 22, 42
typically provide voice and data traffic 70 and network signaling
protocols 60 between customers in different geographic areas. For
example, tandem switches 26, 46 transfer voice and data traffic 70
between regions. Tandem switches such as AIT No. 4 ESS and Northern
Telecom DMS 100 are well known in the art. In addition to the
tandem connection, it should be understood that SSPs in different
areas may also transfer voice and data traffic directly between
each other.
[0014] STPs 24, 44 communicate with SCPs 22, 42 to transfer network
signaling protocols 60. STPs 24, 44 also transfer network signaling
protocols 60 between regions. SCPs 22, 42 may also transfer network
signaling protocols between region A and region B via STPs 24, 44.
A STP and a SCP preferably include a microprocessor controlled
computer system using computer peripherals controlled by
application software programmed to implement the appropriate
communication functions. STPs and SCPs are available from a number
of telephone switch venders such as AT&T (Lucent Technologies),
Nortel, and Siemens, for example.
[0015] Referring again to FIG. 1, the process of identifying the
name of a calling party 32 in the preferred embodiment begins when
the calling party 32 lifts the telephone receiver and sends the
number of the called party 52 to the SSP 28. The SSP 28 of calling
party 32 sends a network signaling protocol 60 to STP 24 which
routes the network signaling protocol signal 60 to the SSP 50 of
the called party 52. The network signaling protocol 60 alerts the
called party's SSP 50 that the calling party 32 is attempting to
terminate a call to the called party 52.
[0016] In the AIN of the present embodiment, central databases 23,
43 at SCPs 22, 42 store information identifying the types of
terminating services available to a subscriber 34, 54. This
information determines how SCPs 23, 43 will handle queries sent
from the called party's SSP 50.
[0017] When the called party's SSP 50 attempts to terminate the
call, SSP 50 triggers a query to its SCP 42 via STP 44. In
particular, SSP 50 sends the query over the signaling network via
STP 44 to SCP 42 as it would send a network signaling protocol 60.
The query preferably contains the 10 digit telephone number of
calling party 32. Preferably, SSP 50 has software with an
associated computer processor and memory which recognizes the
network signaling protocol identifying an incoming call attempt. In
response, SSP 50 software formulates the trigger query and
transmits it to STP 44 as it would a network signal protocol
message.
[0018] The triggered query requests SCP database 43 to identify the
terminating services available to the called party 52. For example,
SCP database 43 may contain information identifying the terminating
services available for each telephone number in the form of a
database or lookup table in a memory storage device such as random
access memory, or a magnetic or optical disk drive, known to those
skilled in the art. Of course, a combination of different memory
storage devices or other types of devices may be used. The memory
storage device preferably stores the service information in a data
record such as an array, lookup or pointer table or other data
structure known to those skilled in the art. Upon receiving the
triggered query, SCP 42 preferably indexes the called party's
telephone number into SCP database 43 to obtain the information
regarding the services available to the called party 52. If caller
identification is available, SCP 42 will attempt to determine the
name of the calling party 32. In the preferred embodiment, the
trigger query contains the calling party's 10 digit telephone
number.
[0019] Referring now to FIG. 2, SCP 42 (FIG. 1) determines 72
whether the calling party's telephone number has been received. If
the telephone number has been received, SCP 42 determines 74
whether the calling party 32 has placed any restrictions on the
disclosure of his name by requesting that it not be disclosed. If
there are no restrictions, SCP 42 performs 76 an initial analysis
of the calling party's ten digit telephone number. Preferably, SCP
42 analyzes the first six digits of the telephone number to
determine whether the calling party name is within SCP database 43.
The first six digits of a ten digit telephone number are typically
referred to as a NPANXX combination. For example, a NPANXX contains
an area code and prefix such as 312-321. Alternatively, SCP 42 may
analyze the first three digits of the calling party's telephone
number to determine whether a calling party is within database
43.
[0020] Preferably, SCP 42 analyzes the NPANXX by searching database
43 containing all of the combinations of the NPANXX of all the
phone numbers available within the database. If NPANXX of the
calling party's telephone number is found within the database, then
the calling party name is available and can be determined by
matching the last 4 digits of the calling party number.
[0021] However, in some instances, the combination of the first six
digits of the calling party's telephone number is identified as not
being listed within the local database 43. This may occur, for
example, if the name of the calling party cannot be determined, the
calling party 32 and the called party 52 are typically from
different calling regions serviced by different SCPs which do not
share name and number information. Rather than providing the called
party 52 no information regarding the calling party 32, the current
embodiment will access remote databases in an attempt to identify
the calling party 32.
[0022] Referring now to FIG. 2 the method of the current embodiment
is initiated after local SCP 42 (FIG. 1) searches 76 a local
database 43 for the combination of the first six digits of the
calling party's telephone number to determine whether that
combination is listed within local SCP database 43. If SCP 42
determines 78 that the calling party's telephone number is not
listed within local database 43, SCP 42 identifies which remote SCP
22 is likely to contain the calling party's telephone number. SCP
42 also determines 80 whether the call is gapping enabled such that
remote SCP 22 cannot handle the impending query. Provided that the
call is not gapping enabled, local SCP 42 will formulate 82 an
appropriate query based upon TR1188 protocol. TR1188 protocol is
chosen as a default protocol because it is assumed that any SCP
will be able to respond to an appropriate query that is formulated
according to the TR1188 protocol.
[0023] After the proper query is formulated, it is sent 84 by local
SCP 42 to remote SCP 22 according to TR1188 protocol. The query can
be sent over the network as a point code in order to increase the
chances of finding the name corresponding to the calling party's
number. When remote SCP 22 receives the query, remote SCP 22
searches its database 23 for the combination of the first
six-digits of the calling party. If SCP 22 finds 86 the combination
within the database 23, SCP 22 retrieves the corresponding name and
delivers the name and telephone number in the form of a response.
The response is sent from remote SCP 22 to local SCP 42. Local SCP
42 checks 88 to ensure that a name was received by analyzing the
response and determining that the name is not blank. If the name is
not blank, SCP 42 determines 90 whether there are any restrictions
on presenting the found name. If there are no restrictions on
presentment, SCP 42 delivers 92 the telephone number and
corresponding name to the SSP 50 of the called party 52.
[0024] The present embodiment may be implemented with software and
logic as known to those of skill in the art. For example, the
present embodiment may be written in a high level programming
language such as Pascal, C or C++. The present embodiment may be
written and compiled to run on a standard UNIX operating system
microcomputer implemented within the SCP.
[0025] It is to be understood that foregoing detailed description
is exemplary and explanatory and is intended to provide further
explanation of the invention as claimed. Numerous modifications and
variations are possible. The invention, together with the further
objects and intended advantages, will best be understood by
reference to the following detailed description, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
* * * * *